Almost Like A Dream
by Hikari Yagamii
Summary: Maybe I'm rating-happy. This story might be PG.. Being cautious, though. Anyway, kawaii little Jyoumi fic, taken from a RP log.


Almost Like A Dream  
By: Hikari Yagamii   
Jyomi coupling. Quite harmless. Rather sweet, actually.. Oh yeah.. Insert disclaimer here. Final note: This was taken from a RP. The identifying characteristics of the other party are not disclosed.  
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::A random e-mail. A simple, straightforward demand by the author; that he should proceed immediately to the dejitarusei--to Server--without telling any other individual. Patently ridiculous! And yet, this anonymous mailer was apparently aware of all things digital, and his involvement in them... and so, if with some trepidation, the bespectacled cerulean eyes of one Kiido Jyou would be roaming the forest of fronds and moss and leafy things, while in the space behind them a capable mind was burning neural pathways at a rate his calm facade belied, struggling to think of who might have sent such a virtual "ransom note," and why?::   
  
::Sitting close to the small pond's edge, the light pink haired individual watched the setting sun. Not often did she have a chance to be in the Dejitarusei, and she jumped to every opportunity. Since Michael was too busy with the NYC Chosen, she found refuge in the world that seemed more like home than New York would ever be. Seeing as how the Dejitarusei got naturally cooler this time of year, she was dressed simply, in a pair of designer jeans, and a pale green blouse. Still, it was nice out.::   
  
::He had come dressed smartly in that customary combination of gray blazer and slacks with a white shirt, making some attempt to seem serious and businesslike. He was, after all, expecting this encounter to be considerably more nerve-wracking--even dangerous!--than those of us watching from the safety of the real world knew it would be. He had expected whoever brought him here to meet him on his way in, but since they didn't seem to be around.. well, he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He'd start blazing a trail into the underbrush, hoping to find whoever was out there before they found him...::   
  
::The 'shoujo lifted her head up. Sounded like there was something stuck in the foliage   
nearby. Getting to her feet, she cautiously made her way to the bushes. Now would probably have been a good time to have Palmon, but then again, the problems were supposedly over in the Dejitarusei. Standing by the treed area, she tried to take a look.:: ...Is anyone there..?   
  
::He didn't recognize the voice immediately. He hadn't seen Mimi much over the past few years, after all. And he didn't see much of any reason to hide from whoever had brought him here... all good reasons to speak up. Not as good as the fact the sleeve of his jacket had gotten caught on the thorns of a nearby plant, but still, quite good!:: ... I'm here.   
  
::The voice seemed vaguely familiar. But, she couldn't place it. She at least acknowledged the fact that it was one of her Odaiba acquaintances, from the accent. But then there was the ongoing mystery of who it was. Shifting a sapling out of the way, she looked into the undergrowth.:: ...Who're you? ::Still didn't see whoever it was.::   
  
::How frustrating! He couldn't seem to get his jacket free of the thorns, and now this mystery person was patronizing him! He was, however, apt to take such things with a sigh and a fingertip pushing up on the middle of his bifocals, responding after a moment with undue patience:: ... you know exactly who I am. Who are you?   
  
::The situation was irking the shoujo. Moving past the sapling, she headed into the growth a bit, towards where she had heard the voice.:: To be perfectly honest, I have no idea who you are! ::Maybe another reply would lead her to the one who didn't disclose his name, which annoyed her immensely.::   
  
::A deepening frown. He was equally annoyed, but chose to show it more with his disapproving expression than any audible aggravation in the timbre of his voice:: ... you have to know. You couldn't have just asked me here at random. Not that many people know about this place.. ::Another tug... my, but he was caught!::   
  
..I didn't ask you here.. ::A confused note entered her voice. Maybe the port had opened in America for a reason, then. But she had not the faintest idea on what it could be.:: For the last time, who are you? ::The voice had sounded very close. Stepping on a few unavoidable sticks, she moved towards the source.::   
  
Look, I don't know what your game i-- ::A slow blink behind those panes of concave glass as he spotted the pink-haired princess pushing through the foliage toward him, and realized how very mistaken he must have been. A hint of red crept across his face, and for the moment, his struggles to free his jacket abated:: ... Mimi-chan?   
  
::A startled blink, as her head sharply turned. Deep brown eyes widened, as she stepped towards the shounen.:: ..Jyou-kun? ::Now this was surreal. Just the person she had missed, and now here she was, with him. It was almost a strong reminder of the Dark Masters' reign. But, that was all in the past. Taking an unconscious look at the older one, she marvelled at how different he looked. He was rather handsome, to be honest.::   
  
::Another blink. He wasn't certain how to explain himself, or introduce himself for that matter. The marked difference from his younger years was that he paused to think about it, instead of rambling incoherently in the presence of the divine Mimi. And that, indeed, showed no small level of self-restraint... he never thought he'd say it, but her "Americanization" had done good for her, at least in terms of her appearance. Even he, a virtual shut-in, had to say she looked tres chic:: Ah.. what are you doing out here?   
  
There was a port opened in New York... What are you doing here? ::Her cheeks turned slightly red. Was this really happening? And to think, she had been on the verge of yelling at him! Still, she had a temper, as in her younger days, but she was mature now, rarely allowing bad temper. She self-consciously put a hand behind her neck.::   
  
There was.. an e-mail. ::A subtle shift in his weight as he renewed his efforts to free himself without tearing his blazer, doing his level-best to keep it subtle so as not to have her notice:: .. someone demanded I come here. They said they'd meet me here.. I certainly didn't expect to see you. Talk about your pleasent surprises. ::A soft smile::   
  
::Her brow furrowed, as she considered his words. A demanding e-mail? That was odd. But, it wasn't her! She never managed to be very threatening, unless she actually meant it. Besides, indirect threats were not quite her style.:: Hm.. That's weird. Did anyone else get an e-mail like that?   
  
I don't think so.. the e-mail said to come alone, and tell no one I would be here.. ::His eyes drifted over her slowly, as if he was still taking in her new appearance. He barely restrained the instinct to stare, and perhaps only because the more pressing concern of his caught garment. She was gorgeous!:: I don't see anyone else, though.. ::A soft sigh:: Probably one of the others playing a practical joke...   
  
Well, that does sound like something Taichi would do... Or maybe Koushirou.. ::Hey, in America, one had to be used to being stared at. Besides, she never really minded. After all, when stuck in the Dejitarusei a few years ago, she put up with lots of vile Dejimon staring at her, like Sukamon. But then, Jyou wasn't like other boys. He'd always been more tolerant of her than any of the others, which was saying alot. Then again, why'd she feel self conscious all of a sudden?::   
  
::Though he wouldn't tumble to it, there was a distinct possibility Palmon or Gomamon--or the two in concert--had arranged this intentionally:: Koushirou's too busy to play pranks. And if Taichi did it, the joke's on him.. thanks to him, I get to talk to you. He'll be jealous. ::There was a pause as he allowed another blush to find its way to his face. He wasn't certain why, but he felt a bit strange saying that...:: I'd shake your hand, but I'm a little tied up...   
  
::Her brow furrowed, as she saw the caught sleeve. Closing the last few feet of distance between them, she took his hand, inspecting the entangled part.:: ..How in the name the name of Apocalymon did you manage getting it caught like that? ::She remembered that Jyou was accident prone, but this was quite a difficultly wound thread.::   
  
I was trying to push the bush out of the way. I didn't realize it had thorns... ::The crimson took on a life of its own in his cheeks as she moved up close to inspect the fabric. He made it a point to look away, off to the side, rather than at the tempting visage before him:: I guess I don't always have the best of luck, huh?   
  
That's for sure.. Though I don't really believe in good or bad luck anymore... ::The thread was pretty complexly tangled. Winding part of it around her index finger, she pulled it off. Then, she repeated the process on the other side. Disentangling the other mildly tangled threads from the thorns, she winced, as a sharp one pierced her finger.:: ..Ow!   
  
::A quick turn of his head, almost a whipping, to inspect the stuck digit:: .. Mimi, are you okay? ::He decided, for the moment, to give up on escaping the catch without looking a bit foolish. After some effort, he managed to slide free of the article, leaving it dangling amidst the thorns, freeing his hands to move slowly--almost cautiously--forward to hold her arm at the wrist, gently raising it to inspect her finger. An unnecessary level of caution for a little prick, but he remembered Mimi as being prone to overreact on such matters::   
  
::Pricking your finger on a thorn did hurt, though a few years earlier, she would've reacted as though it were a grave injury. Now, it was just a sting. She let him take ahold of her wrist, nonetheless. But, why was she blushing again?:: It's just a thorn..   
  
::A blink or two at her, as he attempted to reconcile the Mimi of memory with this calm, matured girl before him:: That's true. I wish I'd brought a band-aid, though.. ::His fingertips moved slowly up her wrist and palm, almost massaging, his thumb circling around to trace the arterial lines running to the stuck finger, applying subtle pressure:: I remember when you would've really freaked out over this sort of thing...   
  
Yeah... I guess time really does change a person. ::A good example of it was her improved personality. And physical appearances could change drastically over time. A prime example being the two. Gently, she pulled her wrist from his grasp. Then, for some unknown reason, she took his hand in hers. If it weren't dark out, one could most certainly see the dark blush on her otherwise pale cheeks.::   
  
Some things don't change... ::He was stopped cold mid-thought by that pleasent, warm pressure on his hand. He never thought something so simple, so mundane, could feel so good! His blood felt as though it were running hot--and if the color of his cheeks was any indication, it just might have been. His voice was soft, but not in the choking sound of uncertainty.. it was more the whisper akin to reverence:: .. Mimi-chan?   
  
::Her cheeks flushed an even darker red, as she maintained contact with his hand. This had been something she longed to do years ago, but never had the nerve. But it was a whole lot more than she expected. Awkwardly, she released his hand, looking away in embarassment. Plus, she was at a loss for words.::   
  
::A surge of emotions was battering the rational part of his mind. He felt like the old bumbling, clumsy Jyou.. he felt a tension and anxiety.. he felt a great relief, a secret longing answered.. and he felt entirely confused, all in the space between heartbeats. And then, just as quickly, he was left feeling a sort of.. emptiness, a cold ache, as if she had taken more from him than just her hand:: ... I... Mimi-chan.. I probably shouldn't say this, but I don't know when I might see you again.. ::He lowered his head slightly, taking a long breath to steady his heart, using that gap he felt just now to spur his words on:: ... I always liked you. A lot.. a lot more than I told you. I guess what I'm trying to say is...   
  
::Fate could play the cruelest tricks! Her eyes, already well adjusted to the dim light, searched his face. An expression of longing, mixed with hope and fear, crossed her face. She remained silent, to let Jyou finish speaking. Was he about to say what she had felt all those years towards him?::   
  
::The look on her face brought back the old worries.. the simple fear of rejection that kept him from speaking up in the first place. He couldn't turn back, not now.. but he couldn't put it all on the line, either. He wasn't that kind. He opted for a more cautious expression of the same sentiment, biting his lip:: ... I had a really big crush on you...   
  
::In another place, she probably would have gone off, to cry. But she had since grown up, though the urge to cry was immense, especially since he had used the past tense. A single tear could not be helped, though. The crystalline drop trailed down her cheek, as she bowed her head down in defeat. It had been a few years. Naturally, some other girl must've seen what she had, and taken the opportunity. It was still a hard dose of reality.:: ...I..had..a crush on you.. ::As she said it in the past tense, she could most likely be raging in her own mind, fuming at the thought that she had lost her chance.::   
  
::Lips parted, as though to speak, and remained open so for a long moment as he swallowed hard. He was, quite simply, stunned. He had never had the kind of self-esteem to think a girl Mimi--a virtual goddess, in his mind--could possibly be interested in him. He had meant to put the confession out there, to find some kind of closure for those years of repressed feelings.. he never could have imagined:: ... M-Mimi-chan.. are you.. crying? ::Acting as though he were capable of putting the entire incident from his mind, if only for a moment, he leaned forward to lay one hand on her shoulder, bringing the other up haltlingly to swipe a single, soft-touching digit across the salty trail::   
  
::She jerked her head away, though she regretted the move even before it was made. Indeed, she was furious at herself. Bringing a hand up, she roughly wiped the tear away, lingering momentarily over her cheekbone, where he had wiped it away. Silky tresses fell over her shoulder, giving her the security of knowing that she didn't have to look directly at him. She sighed, her slim shoulders shaking involuntarily.:: ..I don't deserve my crest for saying that... I love you, Jyou. I always have... ::And her head bowed again, this time in utter and absolute defeat.::   
  
::His hands--surprisingly strong, and quite apt for giving comfort--came to rest upon her shoulders for a moment as he stared at her, letting the words rush forth without any checks by his rational side:: ... I love you too, Mimi-chan.. I.. I almost didn't know what to do when you left. I cried all night.. ::He didn't know what to do. His brain had given up on making sense of it all, and so he did the only thing he could: he followed his heart. He let those comforting hands fall down her arms and then circle around her body, pulling her close::   
  
Jyou-kun... I just don't want to lose you... Again. ::And the tears once again welled up in her eyes. Her head was laid against his shoulder, as a few tears escaped her. Somehow, without her realizing it, her own arms wrapped around his waist. Tilting her head up, her lips brushed against his cheek, as she felt safe, and at peace, in his arms...::  
  
  


**F i n  
  
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Didja like it? Hate it? Get confused by it? Just review. Praise is cherished, and flames are tolerated and thoroughly ignored!   
  
  



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